Nova Scotia/Nunavut Command of The Royal Canadian Legion www.ns.legion.ca 141 continued ... continued ... Minerva Blanche Anderson WW I Minerva Blanche Anderson was born in Big Baddeck, Victoria County, NS, on February 10, 1889. She was the daughter of Alexander and Susan Theresa (Archibald) Anderson, and was a graduate nurse from the Royal Victoria School of Nursing, McGill University, in Montreal. During World War 1, Blanche (she went by her middle name) joined the Canadian Army Medical Corps as a nursing sister. She was still living in Montreal at the time and enlisted there on April 3, 1917. She went oversea to England in May-June, 1917, where she was posted to various hospitals in England including Canadian Military Hospital Basingstoke, Kitchener Military Hospital in Brighton, and No. 10 Canadian General Hospital in Brighton. In August of 1918, she proceeded to France where she was posted to No. 3 Canadian General Hospital. In January, 1919, shortly after the end of the war, Blanche was hospitalized herself in Boulogne, France, when she contracted influenza. She later spent two weeks sick leave in Cannes in the south of France. Blanche returned to Canada in March, 1919, and was demobilized shortly after that. In later years, Blanche worked at Sydney City Hospital in Sydney, NS. She passed away in 1981. Major Percival William Anderson WW I Killed in Action October 30, 1917 Percival Anderson, or Percy as he was commonly known, was born in Big Baddeck, Victoria County, NS, on July 7, 1885. He was the son of Alexander and Susan Theresa (Archibald) Anderson. He grew up in the Baddeck area and became a farmer, and was active in the local militia. He served six years in the 94th Victoria Regiment ‘Argyll Highlanders’, the pre-curser to the Cape Breton Highlanders. After the outbreak of the First World War, Percy enlisted as a lieutenant in the 85th Battalion (Nova Scotia Highlanders). He joined in Halifax, NS, on October 28, 1915. While training at Aldershot, NS, he was promoted to the rank of captain. Percy went overseas with the 85th Battalion on the troop ship SS Olympic in October, 1916, and after a period of training in England, proceeded on to France with the battalion in February, 1917. He was promoted to the rank of major on February 10, 1917. On April 9, 1917, during the battle for Vimy Ridge, the 85th Battalion was tasked with taking an enemy strongpoint on Hill 145, a dominating feature on the ridge. During the battalion’s attack, Percy, who was in command of ’D” Company, which was made up of mostly Cape Bretoners, personally led his men and took their objective after fierce fighting. Percy captured several machine guns and engaged in hand-tohand combat with the enemy, fighting with pistol, bayonet and sometimes his fists. After consolidating their position, Percy then went back out to “no-man’s land” which was still under enemy fire, and single handedly brought back a badly wounded soldier. These actions earned Percy a Military Cross for conspicuous gallantry and devotion to duty. Percy was wounded in the fighting but stayed with the battalion.
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